In conventional RFoG (Radio Frequency over Glass) optical communication networks, so-called Optical Network Units (ONUs) are typically deployed at each of multiple customer premises locations. In a conventional RFoG network, a single strand of optical fiber is typically shared among multiple downstream ONUs (typically 32, but other numbers are possible). In the downstream direction, a light splitting resource divides downstream light power to the ONUs such that a portion of the downstream light power is transmitted to each ONU. Via the downstream light, each of the ONUs receives light containing identical information in the downstream (cable network company to corresponding subscriber customer) direction. Typically, a signal analyzer analyzes the received signal to determine which data is directed to the corresponding subscriber. In certain instances, a portion of content encoded on a respective downstream optical signal can include data available for consumption by multiple subscribers.
For upstream (customer to company) transmissions, each of the ONUs can include a respective laser transmitter that is manufactured to identical specifications. As such, the transmitters transmit on the same or nearly identical wavelength of light in the upstream direction to the company. When two downstream located laser transmitters transmit at the same time in an upstream direction, the optical receiver at the company-side facility (such as at a cable modem termination system) receives optical power from both laser transmitters. An optical detection device in the upstream device converts the optical signal into a respective electrical output that is proportional to the instantaneous sum of the combined optical powers contributed by the two lasers. Since the wavelengths of these low-cost lasers (upstream optical transmitters in the ONUs) are not precisely controlled, in most cases they are separated in the optical spectrum by a spacing that is sufficient to consider only the sum of the optical powers at the receiver output. If the RF (Radio Frequency) signals feeding the two ONUs are on different RF channels, both channels will appear in the electrical generated by the upstream located receiver.